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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
 
FORM 8-K
 
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
DATE OF REPORT (Date of earliest event reported): April 20, 2023

FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Indiana
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
001-4134235-1544218
(Commission File Number)(IRS Employer Identification No.)

200 East Jackson Street
P.O. Box 792
Muncie, IN 47305-2814
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
 
(765) 747-1500
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
 
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Title of Each ClassTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.125 stated value per shareFRMEThe Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/100th interest in a share of Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series AFRMEPThe Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.




ITEM 8.01 OTHER EVENTS

On April 20, 2023, First Merchants Corporation issued a press release announcing its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on its 7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock Series A, of $46.88 per share (equivalent to $0.4688 per depositary share) payable on May 15, 2023, to stockholders of record on April 30, 2023. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

The information in this Form 8-K and the attached exhibit shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.



 
ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
 
(a) Not applicable.

(b) Not applicable.

(c) Not applicable.

(d) Exhibits.


Exhibit 99.1
Exhibit 104Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)





SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


First Merchants Corporation
(Registrant)
By: /s/ Michele M. Kawiecki
                        
Michele M. Kawiecki

Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Dated: April 20, 2023

Document

N / E / W / S R / E / L / E / A / S / E

April 20, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Nicole M. Weaver, Vice President and Director of Corporate Administration
765-521-7619
http://www.firstmerchants.com

SOURCE: First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ: FRME), Muncie, Indiana

FIRST MERCHANTS CORPORATION ANNOUNCES CASH DIVIDEND ON ITS PREFERRED STOCK

First Merchants Corporation has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $46.88 per share on its 7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock Series A, represented by depositary shares (NASDAQ: FRMEP) each representing a 1/100th interest in a share of the Series A preferred stock. Holders of depositary shares will receive $0.4688 per depositary share. The dividend will be payable on May 15, 2023, to stockholders of record on April 30, 2023.

About First Merchants Corporation:

First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. The Corporation has one full-service bank charter, First Merchants Bank. The Bank also operates as First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors (as a division of First Merchants Bank).

First Merchants Corporation’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRME. Depositary shares representing a 1/100th interest in a share of First Merchants Corporation’s 7.50% Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series A are traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRMEP. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company’s Internet web page (http://www.firstmerchants.com).

FIRST MERCHANTS and the Shield Logo are federally registered trademarks of First Merchants Corporation.

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